Insuring for Medical Emergencies Abroad

Passport?

Check.

Immunizations?

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Travel health insurance?

Oops.

Buying coverage for health emergencies is often overlooked in preparations for travel abroad.

“People have become so accustomed to medical care in the U.S., they think this care will follow them everywhere they go,” said Richard Wallach, whose Virginia firm provides travel health insurance. Not so, as travelers often discover when they must be evacuated for treatment of medical emergencies. Such evacuations can cost in the “high teens,” said Wallach, and sometimes as much as $100,000.

It becomes an important purchase to consider, Wallach said, if traveling to Africa, the Middle East, Latin America or Eastern Europe.

But a common medical emergency in a thoroughly modern country can spell trouble, too, as Tom Budlong and his wife, Betty, discovered when she broke her leg while on vacation in the south of France last year.

The Brentwood residents’ regular health insurance covered Betty’s medical care, including surgery and hospitalization. But Tom ran into major problems when he tried on his own to make new arrangements for getting home. Finally, he called his travel agent here, who reminded him that he’d purchased a comprehensive travel insurance policy that included medical evacuation. The insurer, TravelGuard International, employed a service that did everything from consulting with the French doctors about Betty’s travel needs to arranging an upgrade to business class to make the three-flight trip home more comfortable. The Budlongs paid nothing extra; even their personal policy’s deductible was covered.

When planning a trip, travelers should find out what kind of coverage they already have. Most health insurance plans cover members’ medical emergencies during trips away from home, said Richard Coorsh, spokesman for the Health Insurance Assn. of America. One notable exception, of course, is Medicare, which generally does not pay for hospital or medical services outside the United States and its territories.

Health maintenance organizations’ policies vary. All Kaiser Permanente plans, for instance, cover urgent or emergency care when out of the country or out of the service area, said Linda Quon, a spokeswoman. For extended stays (beyond 90 days), members should consult with Kaiser before departure, she said. Medical evacuation decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, Quon added.

Some credit card companies offer travel-related services as part of a benefits package. American Express platinum card holders, for instance, are provided with a service called Travel Emergency Assistance. It includes toll-free telephone access to 24-hour medical assistance, with referrals to English-speaking physicians, dentists and pharmacists, and English-speaking staff at hospitals. It also covers medical evacuation when deemed necessary.

MasterCard gold card holders are provided a traveler’s program that offers referrals to doctors and hospitals and arranges (but does not pay for) medical evacuation.

Medical coverage often is part of a “bundled” policy that also covers trip cancellation and other travel-related losses. These can be bought directly or through a travel agent.

Premiums vary. One example: For a trip costing $2,000, Access America charges $133 for its comprehensive plan. That includes medical and dental coverage up to $10,000 and medical transportation up to $30,000, plus other emergency expenses.

Here is a sampling of companies offering travel health insurance and some coverage highlights:

Access America, telephone (800) 284-8300, has added a “Kids Are Free” program, which covers children under age 18 who travel with their parents or grandparents.

TravelGuard International, tel. (800) 826-1300, offers similar terms for children under 16.

C.S.A. Travel Protection, tel. (800) 348-9505, has initiated age-rated plans, with persons 55 and younger paying the lowest premium, those 56 to 70 the next lowest and those 71 and older paying more.

Travel Assistance International, offered by Worldwide Assistance Services, tel. (800) 821-2828, provides coverage on a per-trip basis for one annual fee for frequent travelers.

TripGuard Plus, tel. (800) 423-3632, offers an informational brochure with readable type instead of the microscopic print often found in plan descriptions.

Wallach & Co., tel. (800) 237-6615, includes a plan for travelers who are away more than 30 days, such as students embarking on semesters abroad or people on extended business trips overseas.

The Healthy Traveler appears the second and fourth weekend of every month.